Fairy garden tea party supports Weare anniversary

WEARE - Winged creatures sipped tea, nibbled cupcakes and had a ball at the second annual Fairy Garden Tea Party on Saturday.

"It's such a fun day," said mom Kim Mocci, whose daughter Ryan was decked out in a festive red ensemble. "We came last year and all the girls just loved it."

The tea party, which featured a beautiful spread of sweets and fruit, tea served in real fancy teacups, and crafts orchestrated by sorority sisters from Plymouth State University, has become a popular fundraiser for the town's 250th birthday celebration in 2014.

Evelyn O'Connor, a member of the 250th Anniversary Committee, said the committee, along with the Weare Historical Society, has hosted various fundraising activities in recent years, selling T-shirts at town-wide events, soliciting donations, and of course, pouring tea for young fairies.

"Everyone loved this event last year, and this year, we've had a terrific turnout. In fact, we've sold out," O'Connor said. "I think this may end up being a continuous thing, something we do every year."

Organizer Jan Snyder, secretary of the committee, said more than $13,500 has been raised toward the events planned to celebrate the town's 250th.

"Everything costs so much," said O'Connor. From hiring bands to town parades to hosting events, the costs are staggering, so the committee is calling on help from the community to plan, raise funds and volunteer.

Throughout the next year, events, including an ice cream social, will help fill the coffers, and the committee's commemorative ornaments and T-shirts will be for sale during every major event from the Fourth of July celebration to the town-wide yard sale on June 1, said O'Connor.

In the meantime, the committee and volunteers are hard at work beautifying the town by planting bulbs, wildflowers and lilac bushes. The committee meets the first Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at the town offices, and new faces are always welcome.